Paying our fair share

In response to The Minot Daily News’ editorial ‘A real spending crisis’ (Feb. 9, 2013), it is true that measures must be taken to reduce the deficit. However, the draconian spending cuts offered by some members of Congress endanger American’s retirement security. It is important to remember that a secure retirement is not a gift from the government, it is a program that Americans work for decades to earn, paying for their retirement out of every paycheck of their working lives. In fact, Social Security has run on a surplus budget every single year since its creation.

Before we cut even one dime from programs that working Americans need and have paid for, Congress should make sure everyone else is paying their fair share. Corporate tax loopholes allow the largest and most profitable corporations in the country to escape paying taxes. In 2012, North Dakota alone lost $58 million in tax revenue due to corporate tax dodging. In Minot alone, that could have translated into an estimated $3.5 million in revenue.